Person of the Year … and the Runners-Up

QSaltLake readers were not all in agreement about who we should choose as our person of the year. Here are some other individuals who received a lot of reader recommendations.

Realtor Julie Brizee for her work with the Utah Aids Foundation.

Philanthropist Bruce Bastian for his tireless financial and morale support of Utah’s gay community. This year, Bastian donated $1 million to the No on 8 Campaign to fight Proposition 8, California’s controversial constitutional amendment that re-banned gay marriage in the state. His charitable organization, the B.W. Bastian Foundation, regularly gives grants to organizations “who wholeheartedly embrace the principle of equality” for all Americans, including gays and lesbians.

Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, for his tireless efforts to thwart legislation giving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Utahns legal protections. And presumably for his infamous “black baby” comment that nearly cost him his re-election. Buttars, however, has already been our person of the year.

Activist Jacob Whipple, for pulling together a protest of Proposition 8 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ headquarters and for taking a prominent role in Utah’s resurgent gay rights movement. As commenter William Munk put it, “He gave us focus.”Will Carlson, Equality Utah’s Manager of Public Policy. “May not know him, but they should,” said commenter Brandon Daniels. “ [He] has written and passed laws to benefit the GLBT community. Will [is] one amazing advocate for us on capital hill. The GLBT community should know the man who gives them a voice so powerful that he can even work with Sentor [sic] Buttars.”

And as usual, QSaltLake publisher and editor Michael Aaron got a slew of nominations, for his efforts in bringing the community this newspaper. Unfortunately, he had to decline on grounds of journalistic integrity. And, you know, humility.